Scottish Labour have been urged to foot the bill for taxpayers if their “gross incompetence” results in another by-election taking place in Glasgow.
Glasgow City Council have effectively confirmed that a vote is set to take place in the ward of Glasgow North East, despite one taking place last week.
Labour’s Mary McNabb won the vote and was declared the winner shortly after midnight on Friday 22 November. As Ms McNabb was a council employee, she needed to resign from her job on Monday 25 November.
However, she did not do so, and a council spokesman has told The Herald that her failure to resign from her employment has automatically disqualified her and means a by-election will have to be held. It is understood it is the first time such a situation has happened, so the council are currently seeking legal advice.
Glasgow MSP Annie Wells says voters across the city will be “astonished” that at such an oversight could happen and says it sums up why many are “sick and tired” of politicians who ultimately do not represent them.
She added that it is the second case in recent weeks where a newly elected councillor has had to resign, after Liberal Democrat councillor Louise Spence resigned from her role in Edinburgh, when it was revealed she had put her house on the market despite promoting herself as a “local champion.”
Scottish Conservative Glasgow MSP Annie Wells said: “Voters in this ward and across the city will be astonished at this oversight. If another by-election ultimately takes place, Scottish Labour must foot the bill for taxpayers.
“Only gross incompetence could have led to such a situation. Surely Scottish Labour were fully aware that if their candidate won last month, she would have to immediately resign her role with the city council.
“There can be no excuse for her failing to do so. With savage SNP cuts hitting councils hard, another by-election is the last thing they need to be shelling out on.
“This is the second such case in recent weeks following the resignation of a Liberal Democrat councillor in Edinburgh a week after she had been elected, despite promoting herself as a local champion. These sum up why many voters are sick and tired of politicians failing to represent them, after putting their trust in them.
“It is only the Scottish Conservatives who are working hard to reconnect with voters, who just want to see politicians speaking some common sense for a change.”
Notes: The story was first reported in The Herald: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24763663.law-employment-ends-labour-councillors-time-office/